When I was a child we went to Stowmarket on the bus and got off before the town centre to walk to see Grandma and then we would walk into town which meant going over a raised path, which I've always known as the Karnser. Grandma and Mum were Stowmarket born and bred so that's what they called it.
There WAS a picture below which I copied from a local 'Stowmarket In Old Photo's' Facebook page and several people commented that they'd never heard the word. Some references say that it's an East Anglian dialect word but below the report says it's much older.
The picture vanished and I couldn't find it again despite searching all the Stowmarket facebook sites - luckily I'd copied the text.......................
The raised pathway on one side of Station Road, whether it is spelled with a 'c' or a 'k', is an old word of Anglo-Saxon origin. There are other places in East Anglia with a reference to the word, such as Mellis Common in Suffolk and Blakeney in Norfolk, which refer to a raised footpath or causeway across a marshy area.
The Stowmarket spelling with a 'k' is quite unusual, but the meaning still has the same derivation of a raised footpath. In this case it was developed to allow brewers' drays to pull up beside Steven's Brewery, that later became part of the Greene King Group, so that barrels could be rolled directly onto the back of the carts without involving heavy lifting or rolling heavy casks up sloping ramps etc.
Information from Stowmarket Local History Group.
While searching for the picture that I copied here from facebook and which later vanished, I came across this one from a bit later when the brewery had been taken over by Greene King. It doesn't really show the Karnser except for the railings.
And here's what it looks like today. Back in the 60's there were breaks in the barriers with steps built into the wall to get down to road level, but they are long gone. This road is a very busy one now leading in and out to the town centre and the main carpark beside Asda.
It's a very, very long time since the building was a brewery and it's been rebuilt, stood empty or used as offices for many years.
Back Soon
Sue
Thanks for comments yesterday, I thought I'd answered but I hadn't and then it was late!
I'm sure Arundel has those raised footpaths. I suspect that's because it is built on the side of a hill. I've never heard of a word for them.
ReplyDeleteI puzzle over which came first - the path or the brewery
DeleteThank you another interesting post I now realise that I have seen these in other places and never queried why the paths were raised in this fashion.
ReplyDeleteI think often to provide somewhere to walk to avoid flooding
DeleteNot sure why it appeared as anonymous
ReplyDeleteSo now I know why I’ve seen some of these around and about. Of course the ones along the old railway line made sense before, but now the rest will fall into place. Every days’ a school day!
ReplyDeleteIt would have been better with the first photo I found - but it just vanished
DeleteI grew up in a small town here along the US gulf coast The downtown area had those raised sidewalks to prevent flooding of the shops during hurricanes.
ReplyDeleteAll old US westerns on TV always had raised pathways outside the building to avoid the mud and horses!
DeleteThere's one of those in Dorchester, Dorset. Years ago I worked recording listed / historic monuments etc on digital maps for the County council and it was just listed as a raised pavement. I don't know why it was raised and it would be good to know if there is a word in Dorset dialect for it. I'll see if I can find anything. Thanks for the interesting post
ReplyDeletePenny
Would be interesting to know how widespread the word is
DeleteHave seen other towns with these raised paths so it was really interesting to find out why they were there. Catriona
ReplyDeleteIt's the only one I know but have known it's name for always
DeleteSo many local words are dying out and it feels like colour is being taken out of the language with them.
ReplyDeleteMany local people didn't know the word when it was on the facebook page that vanished
DeleteI lived in Lancashire for several years and their word for path was ‘causer’. I always understood this to be the pavement or sidewalk. I assumed it came from causeway.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a variation of the word
DeleteWe stayed at a Greene King pub in Burford. One of the brews we don't have here in the states. It's interesting (and sometimes sad) to see how town have evolved over time. Progress isn't always a good thing.
ReplyDeleteThe Greene King Brewery is in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk and once was just local to here - now they have pubs everywhere
DeleteThey've got a really nice raised path like this in central Penzance - maybe to do with flooding or high tide or offloading, someone from Penzance can maybe tell me.
ReplyDeleteHope you can find out
DeleteWe have quite a few raised pavements with railings in the Lancaster area. I never knew the name for them though, we're always learning. 🙂
ReplyDeleteThey might have a different name 'op north'!
DeleteVery interesting. It doesn't seem to be a term used outside Norfolk and Suffolk. I hope it continues to be used.
ReplyDeleteFrom the facebook page that vanished it seemed many people didn't know it
DeleteI wonder what made you think of this today, Sue.
ReplyDeleteI found the facebook page several days ago and then took the photo when I was next in town ready to make a blog post - always have to think of things to make a post - keeps my brain working!
DeleteWhen I was at primary school, ( many moons ago!) a family moved to our road and the two girls came to my school. One was in my class and she was always talking about Stowmarket, from where they had moved. I have often wondered what it was like there… I have never visited the town.
ReplyDeleteIt’s funny how people have certain names for parts of their town or village. When I lived in Hertford, as a student, there was a long alleyway running from the college to the town, and that was called, ‘The Twitchells’..which always made me laugh! 😂
I was born in Stowmarket - so was Mum and so was Grandma and Grandad!
DeleteVery cool to see the comparison between now, and then. Love that the old buildings are still standing. Where I live, little preservation. Everything old and beautiful has been demolished, and turned into ugly high rises. Enjoy your day! Cali
ReplyDeleteThere are some very old buildings in town, sadly some need a lot of work to restore them but many remain and are looked after
DeleteIt seems whoever built the brewery knew a raised path was important for making deliveries.
ReplyDeleteThe building has lots of history and we can only hope it will be preserved and put to good use.
It's a mystery which came first - the brewery or the path
DeleteAn unusual name and I'm glad it has survived in your memory.
ReplyDeleteIt's right next to the church with the cafe where I go for a coffee so often see it
DeleteI always find old English/Angelo Saxon words so very interesting and quite descriptive many times.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
There's a book about Lost Words - I need to borrow it again to remember
DeleteI love hearing about the old words. There used to be a man who was on Radio Suffolk monthly (Charlie something I think) who always talked about the old says and dialect.
ReplyDeleteWhat a change in the building! I feel like so many of those old buildings are lost. It's good that some photos remain!
Charlie Haylock - He's written several books and speaks at meetings about how he helps with films when Suffolk accents are needed - like The Dig
DeleteI grew up in Stowmarket in the 80s and 90s. I can remember walking up this raised pavement when I was a little girl. I think back then the old brewery building was used as the offices for the water board and my Mum used to pay our water bill there. And after that it was empty for ages.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t call it the Karnser, but I knew that it was a name for it because I read about it in Harry Double’s excellent books on the history of Stowmarket.